Remot control system for home appliance and method the same

ABSTRACT

A remote control system for home appliance includes: at least one home appliance installed at a place remote from a user&#39;s life space; a monitoring device connected to the home appliance wirelessly or via a cable to transmit/receive data to/from the home appliance; and a remote controller connected to the monitoring device wirelessly to control an operation of the home appliance.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a remote control system and anoperating method thereof, and more particularly, to a remote controlsystem and an operating method thereof, in which an operation state of ahome appliance installed remotely, such as a washing machine or drier,can be monitored and its operation can be controlled by using aninfrared remote controller.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally, a washing machine is an apparatus that removes dirt fromclothes loaded into a washing tub by using an electricity to rotate thewashing tub according to a selected washing cycle. In the washingmachine, the washing tub is alternately rotated in the forward directionand in the reverse direction and thus the water jet is generated in thewashing tub. The friction or collision between the washing water and theclothes removes the dirt from the clothes. The dirt can be surelyremoved by the surfactant dissolved in the washing water.

The washing machine includes a washing tub for containing clothes, amotor for rotating the washing tub, an input unit for inputting awashing condition, a display unit for displaying a washing state, and amicrocomputer for controlling an overall operation of the washingmachine, including a washing cycle.

In addition, a drier for drying the washed clothes includes a drier drumfor containing the clothes, a motor for driving the drier drum, an inputunit for inputting a drying condition, and a display unit for displayinga drying state, and a microcomputer for controlling an overall dryingoperation.

Meanwhile, if the washing machine or the drier is located at a placeremote from a life space, for example a basement or an outdoor place, itis difficult for the user to immediately check the operation state ofthe washing machine or the drier.

In addition, even when the operation of the washing machine or the drieris finished, the user may leave the clothes in the washing machine orthe drier for a long time. When the washing machine or the drieroperates abnormally, the user cannot immediately cope with it.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a remote controlsystem for home appliance and an operating method thereof thatsubstantially obviate one or more problems due to limitations anddisadvantages of the related art

An object of the present invention is to provide a remote control systemfor home appliance and an operating method thereof, in which anoperation of a washing machine or a drier can be easily controlled at aremote place, and a washing or drying state can be immediately checkedto thereby increase the user convenience.

Technical Solution

In an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a remotecontrol system for home appliance, including: at least one homeappliance installed at a place remote from a user's life space; amonitoring device connected to the home appliance wirelessly or via acable to transmit/receive data to/from the home appliance; and a remotecontroller connected to the monitoring device wirelessly to control anoperation of the home appliance.

In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a remotecontrol system for home appliance, including: a monitoring device formonitoring an operation state of a home appliance installed remotely; aremote controller for wirelessly transmitting/receiving data to/from themonitoring device; and a communication device for exchanging databetween the monitoring device and the home appliance.

In a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a remotecontrol method for home appliance, including: turning on a monitoringdevice and displaying a state of the home appliance thereon; inputtingan operation condition of the home appliance through a remotecontroller; transmitting the inputted operation condition to themonitoring device; transmitting the operation condition received by themonitoring device to the home appliance, so that the home applianceoperates; and displaying an operation state of the home appliance on themonitoring device and transmitting the operation state of the homeappliance to the remote controller.

Advantageous Effects

In a remote control system for home appliance and an operating methodthereof according to the present invention, an operation state of awashing machine or a drier installed at a place remote from a lifespace, for example a basement or an outdoor place, can be easilymonitored in an indoor place. That is, the operation state of thewashing machine or the drier can be checked without the user's moving tothe remote place. In addition, the user can immediately check whetherthe malfunction occurs in the washing machine or the drier.

Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 illustrates a remote control system for home appliance accordingto a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a remote control system for home appliance accordingto a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a monitoring device in the remote controlsystem for home appliance according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a remote controller in the remote controlsystem for home appliance according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the remote controlsystem for home appliance according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a remote control system for home appliance accordingto a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates a remote control system for home appliance accordingto a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a communication device according to anembodiment of the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made in the present invention. Thus,it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications andvariations of this invention provided they come within the scope of theappended claims and their equivalents.

FIG. 1 illustrates a remote control system for home appliance accordingto a first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the remote control system includes a washingmachine 30 located at a basement or an outdoor place and connected via apower line network PL established in an indoor place, a drier 40 locatedadjacent to the washing machine 30, a monitoring device 20 connected tothe washing machine 30 or the drier 40 via the power line network PL tomonitor operation states of the washing machine 30 or the drier 40, anda remote controller 10 for remotely controlling the washing machine 30or the drier 40 through the monitoring device 20. The home appliancesappliable to the present invention are not limited to the washingmachine 30 and the drier 40, but can include other kinds of homeappliances, such as a microwave oven and a dishwasher.

Meanwhile, a power line modem M2 is provided at a side of the washingmachine 30 so as to transmit/receive data via the power line network PL.The washing machine performs a washing operation according to a controlcommand received from the power line modem M2 via the power line networkPL, and the power line modem M2 transmits a progressing state of thewashing cycle, an operation result, or an occurrence or not ofmalfunction via the power line network PL.

In addition, a power line modem M3 is provided at a side of the drier 40so as to transmit a drying state of the clothes and an operation resultvia the power line network PL. The drier 40 dries the clothes accordingto a control command received from the power line modem M3.

The control commands inputted to the washing machine 30 or the drier 40are transmitted from the remote controller 10 to the monitoring device20. The monitoring device 20 enables the user to monitor the operationstate of the washing machine 30 or the drier 40 in the indoor lifespace. Also, a power line modem M1 is provided at the monitoring device20 so as to enable data transmission/reception to/from the washingmachine 30 or the drier 40.

The monitoring device is a kind of a display device that can display theoperation states of the various devices connected via the power linenetwork PL. The monitoring device can include an audio or video device.Also, the monitoring device can include a display device, such as adedicated monitoring device or TV.

The remote controller 10 controls the operation of the washing machine30 or the drier 40 through the monitoring device 20. The remotecontroller 10 transmits the control command for the operation of thewashing machine 30 or the drier 40 through an infrared communicationwith the monitoring device 20. The monitoring device 20 transmits thecontrol command to the washing machine 30 and the drier 40 via the powerline network PL, so that the washing machine 30 or the drier 40 performsan operation according to the control command.

FIG. 2 illustrates a remote control system for home appliance accordingto a second embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, in the remote control system, a drier 40 does notinclude a separate power line modem. That is, the drier 40 is connectedto a washing machine 30 and transmits/receives data through a power linemodem M2 of the washing machine 30.

Specifically, the remote control system includes the washing machine 30,the drier 40, a monitoring device 20, and a remote controller 10.

More specifically, the drier 40 is connected via a cable to the washingmachine 30 for data communication. The cable can be a generalcommunication cable such as RS-232, or a local area network (LAN) cable.

Such a structure does not require a cabling for establishing anadditional power line network that connects the washing machine 30 andthe drier 40. Thus, an installation cost is reduced.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the monitoring device in the remote controlsystem for home appliance according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the monitoring device 20 includes an infraredcommunication module 22 for enabling data transmission/reception withthe remote controller 10, a display unit 24 for displaying the operationstate of the washing machine 30 or the drier 40, and a data storage unit23 for storing data received from the washing machine 30 or the drier40.

The monitoring device 20 further includes a microcomputer 21 forprocessing data transmitted/received to/from the washing machine 30 orthe drier 40, and allowing the control command, which is received fromthe remote controller 10, to be transmitted to the washing machine 30 orthe drier 40 via the power line modem M1. The monitoring device 20further includes an input unit 25 with a plurality of buttons forcontrolling the operation of the main body.

The infrared communication module 22 receives the control command of thewashing machine 30 or the drier 40 from the remote controller 10 in aninfrared communication scheme and transmits it to the microcomputer 21.Also, the infrared communication module 22 transmits data about theoperation state from the microcomputer 21 to the remote controller 10.

The data storage unit 23 temporarily stores the data transmitted fromthe infrared communication module 22 before the data is transmittedthrough the power line modem M1. Also, the data storage unit 23 storesthe operation state and operation data of the washing machine 30 or thedrier 40, which are received through the power line modem M1.

The microcomputer 21 includes an input/output control unit 21 b and adata processing unit 21 a. The input/output control unit 21 b drives themonitoring device 20 according to the control command transmitted fromthe input unit 25, and allows the operation state of the washing machine30 or the drier 40 to be displayed on the display unit 24. The dataprocessing unit 21 a processes the data received through the infraredcommunication module 21 or the power line modem M1, and allows theprocessed data to be displayed on the display unit 24.

The input/output control unit 21 b allows the operation state of thewashing machine 30 or the drier 40 to be displayed on the display unit24 visually or audibly. The input/output control unit 21 b manipulatesthe remote controller 10 according to the data received from the remotecontroller 10 and allows the setting state to be displayed on thedisplay unit 24.

The data processing unit 21 a controls the data, which istransmitted/received to/from the different communication media such asthe infrared communication module 22 or the power line modem M1, to becorrectly transmitted to their destinations. In other words, the controlcommand received from the remote controller 10 is transmitted to thewashing machine 30 or the drier 40 through the power line modem M1, andthe data about the operation state received from the washing machine 30or the drier 40 is transmitted through the infrared communication module22.

The data processing unit 21 a temporarily stores the received data inthe data storage unit 23, transmits the stored data to the input/outputcontrol unit 21 b, and displays the data on the display unit 24.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the remote controller in the remote controlsystem for home appliance according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the remote controller 10 includes an input unit 13for setting the operation of the washing machine 30 or the drier 40, aninfrared communication module 12 for transmitting/receiving data to/fromthe monitoring device 20, and a control unit 11 for generating a controlcommand for controlling the washing machine 30 or the drier 40 accordingto the content inputted through the input unit 13.

The remote controller 10 further includes a display unit 14 fordisplaying the set content and brief information on the operation of thewashing machine 30 or the drier 40.

The input unit 13 includes a selection button (not shown) for selectinghome appliance such as the washing machine 30 and the drier 40, and aplurality of buttons (not shown) for controlling the operation of thewashing machine 30 or the drier 40. Also, the input unit 13 furtherincludes a plurality of buttons (not shown) for controlling themonitoring device 20.

The control unit 11 controls the operation of the washing machine 30 orthe drier 40 according to the set content inputted through the inputunit 13, and also controls the operation of the monitoring unit 20.

The control unit 11 allows the brief information on the operation stateand operation result of the washing machine 30 or the drier 40 to bedisplayed on the display unit 14. The operation state and operationresult of the washing machine 30 or the drier 40 are received from theinfrared communication module 12.

Accordingly, the remote control system having the above structure canallow the user to check the state of the washing machine 30 or the drier40, which is located at a remote place such as a basement or an outdoorplace, in the indoor life space and can conveniently control it throughthe remote controller.

In addition, the remote control system enables the user to check thebrief information on the-operation state of the washing machine or thedrier through the remote controller without the user's moving up to themonitoring device 20.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the remote controlsystem for home appliance according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

Referring to FIG. 5, in operation S1, the monitoring device 20 issupplied with a power and is operated. In operation S2, the currentoperation state of the washing machine 30 or the drier 40 remotelylocated is displayed on the monitoring device 20. In operation S3,whether the washing machine 30 or the drier 40 operates normally orabnormally is checked from the operation state displayed on themonitoring device 20. The control command data transmitted from theremote controller 10 in the infrared communication scheme is inputted tothe monitoring device 20. In operation S4, the content set according tothe inputted control command data is displayed on the monitoring device20.

In operation S5, the monitoring device 20 displays the control commanddata received from the remote controller 10. Also, when the operationsetting of the washing machine 30 or the drier 40 is completed, thecontrol command data is transmitted to the washing machine 30 or thedrier 40 via the power line network PL. In operation S6, the operationstate and operation result of the washing machine 30 or the drier 40 arereceived via the power line network PL and are displayed visually oraudibly so that the user can recognize the received data. In operationS7, the data about the washing machine 30 or the drier 40 are displayedand the brief information related in to the data about the operationstate of the washing machine 30 or the drier 40 is transmitted to theremote controller 10 in the infrared communication scheme. The remotecontroller 10 displays the received data on the display screen, therebyallowing the user to check the operation state of the washing machine 30or the drier 40.

Mode for the Invention

FIG. 6 illustrates a remote control system for home appliance accordingto a third embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, the remote control system according to the secondembodiment of the present invention has a structure similar to that ofthe first embodiment of the present invention, and includes a washingmachine 30, a drier 40, a monitoring device 20, and a remote controller10.

Also, the remote control system further includes a communication device50 for enabling data transmission between the washing machine 30 or thedrier 40 and the monitoring device 20. In the first embodiment, thecommand inputted to the monitoring device 20 is transmitted to thewashing machine 30 or the drier 40 in the cable communication scheme.however, in the second embodiment, the command inputted to themonitoring device 20 is transmitted to the washing machine 30 or thedrier 40 in the wireless communication scheme.

Specifically, the washing machine 30 and the drier 40 include power linemodems M1 and M2 that can provide data transmission/reception via thepower line network PL, respectively. The washing machine 30 may be acombined washing machine and drier that has both a washing function anda drying function.

In addition, the remote controller 10 receives an operation command fromthe user and transmits a corresponding control command to the monitoringdevice 20 so as to control the operation of the washing machine 30 orthe drier 40 located remotely. The remote controller 10 receives theoperation state or operation result based on the control command fromthe monitoring device 20. The remote controller 10 transmits/receivesthe data to/from the monitoring device 20 in the infrared communicationscheme.

The monitoring device 20 monitors the operation state of the washingmachine 30 or the drier 40 located in a basement or outdoor place remotefrom the life space, and immediately displays the data received from theremote controller 10, thereby enabling the user to check the operationsetting content set by the remote controller 10.

The monitoring device 20 is a display device that represents theoperation state data in a form of video image or audio. The monitoringdevice 20 may be a dedicated monitoring device or TV. The structure andfunction of the above-described elements are equal or similar to thoseof the second embodiment.

Meanwhile, the monitoring device 20 that is characteristic of thepresent invention receives the control command data from the remotecontroller 10 through the infrared communication and transmits thereceived control command to the washing machine 30 or the drier 40through the communication device 50. The monitoring device 20 transmitsthe control command to the washing machine 30 or the drier 40 to enableit to operate. Also, the monitoring device 20 transmits the operationstate data of the washing machine 30 or the drier 40 to the remotecontroller 10.

The communication device 50 transmits/receives data to/from themonitoring device 20 in the infrared communication scheme, andtransmits/receives the data via the power line network PL to/from thepower line modems M1 and M2 connected to the washing machine 30 or thedrier 40. That is, due to the communication device 50, the controlcommand and the data about the operation state can betransmitted/received to/from the monitoring device 20 through theinfrared communication media and/or the power line communication media.

More specifically, the communication device 50 receives the controlcommand from the monitoring device 20 and transmits it to the washingmachine 30 or the drier 40 via the power line network PL. Also, thecommunication device 50 receives the operation state and operationresult of the washing machine 30 or the drier 40 based on the controlcommand via the power line network PL, and transmits them to themonitoring device 20 in the infrared communication scheme.

FIG. 7 illustrates a remote control system according to a fourthembodiment of the present invention.

While the structure and function of the remote control system shown inFIG. 7 is equal to those of the third embodiment, a drier 40 does notinclude an additional power line modem connected to the power linenetwork PL and transmits/receives data through the washing machine 30.That is, the drier 40 is connected to the washing machine 30 via a cableand thus transmits/receives data through the power line modem connectedto the washing machine 30.

Like the second embodiment, the cable may be the LAN cable or the serialcommunication cable.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the communication device according to anembodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 8, the communication device 50 includes a signalprocessing unit 51, a power line communication module 52, and aninfrared communication module 53.

Specifically, the infrared communication module 53 receives the controlcommand data from the monitoring device 20 through the infraredcommunication and transmits the operation state data received from thewashing machine 30 or the drier 40 to the monitoring device 20. Thepower line communication module 52 receives the control command datafrom the monitoring device 20 and transmits it to the washing machine 30or the drier 40 via the power line network PL. Also, the power linecommunication module 52 receives data from the washing machine 30 or thedrier 40. The signal processing unit 51 allows the data, which isreceived from the power line communication module 52 or the infraredcommunication module 53, to be transmitted to their destinations, andenables the communication between the different communication media.

Industrial Applicability

In the remote control system and the operating method thereof accordingto the present invention, the user can easily control the operation ofthe remotely-located home appliances through the remote controller orthe monitoring device, and can immediately check the operation states ofthe home appliances. Accordingly, the remote control system and theoperating method thereof according to the present invention has the veryhigh industrial applicability.

1. A remote control system for home appliance, comprising: at least onehome appliance installed at a place remote from a user's life space; amonitoring device connected to the home appliance wirelessly or via acable to transmit/receive data to/from the home appliance; and a remotecontroller connected to the monitoring device wirelessly to control anoperation of the home appliance.
 2. The remote control system accordingto claim 1, wherein the home appliance is a washing machine or a drier.3. The remote control system according to claim 1, wherein themonitoring device comprises: a display unit for displaying an operationstate of the home appliance; an infrared communication module forcommnunicating with the remote controller; a data storage unit forstoring data received from the remote controller or the home appliance;and a microcomputer for controlling an operation of the home applianceaccording to a command transmitted from the remote controller.
 4. Theremote control system according to claim 3, wherein the microcomputercomprises: an input/output control unit for allowing the operation stateof the home appliance to be displayed on the display unit; and a dataprocessing unit for processing the data transmitted from the remotecontroller or the home appliance.
 5. The remote control system accordingto claim 1, wherein the monitoring device comprises an input unit forenabling a setting of an operation of a main body.
 6. The remote controlsystem according to claim 1, wherein the remote controller comprises: aninput unit having a plurality of buttons for inputting a controlcommand; an infrared communication module for transmitting/receivingdata to/from the monitoring device; and a control unit for transmittingthe control command inputted from the input unit to the monitoringdevice.
 7. The remote control system according to claim 1, wherein theremote controller comprises a display unit for displaying information onan operation state of the home appliance, which is received from themonitoring device.
 8. The remote control system according to claim 1,further comprising a power line modem provided at the monitoring deviceand/or the home appliance to enable data transmission/reception.
 9. Theremote control system according to claim 1, wherein the monitoringdevice and the home appliance are connected to a power line network andtransmits/receives data therethrough.
 10. The remote control systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the home appliance comprises a first homeappliance and a second home appliance, the first home appliance beingconnected to the monitoring device via a power line network, the secondhome appliance being connected to the second home appliance via acommunication cable.
 11. The remote control system according to claim 1,wherein the monitoring device comprises an infrared communicationmodule, the monitoring device being wirelessly connected to acommunication device connected to the home appliance via a power linenetwork.
 12. The remote control system according to claim 11, whereinthe communication device comprises: an infrared communication module fortransmitting/receiving data and control command to/from the monitoringdevice; a power line communication module for transmitting/receivingdata to/from the home appliance; and a data processing unit forprocessing the data transmitted/received to/from the monitoring deviceand/or the home appliance.
 13. A remote control system for homeappliance, comprising: a monitoring device for monitoring an operationstate of a home appliance installed remotely; a remote controller forwirelessly transmitting/receiving data to/from the monitoring device;and a communication device for exchanging data between the monitoringdevice and the home appliance.
 14. The remote control system accordingto claim 13, wherein the monitoring device and the communication deviceexchange data with each other through an infrared communication module.15. The remote control system according to claim 13, wherein thecommunication device and the home appliance are connected together via apower line network.
 16. The remote control system according to claim 15,wherein at least two home appliances are provided, the at least two homeappliances being connected to the power line network and having powerline modems for receiving control command from the communication device.17. The remote control system according to claim 13, wherein two or morehome appliances are provided, only one of the home appliances beingconnected to the communication device and a power line network, theremaining home appliances being connected together via a communicationcable.
 18. A remote control method for home appliance, comprising:turning on a monitoring device and displaying a state of the homeappliance thereon; inputting an operation condition of the homeappliance through a remote controller; transmitting the inputtedoperation condition to the monitoring device; transmitting the operationcondition received by the monitoring device to the home appliance, sothat the home appliance operates; and displaying an operation state ofthe home appliance on the monitoring device and transmitting theoperation state of the home appliance to the remote controller.
 19. Theremote control method according to claim 18, wherein the operation oftransmitting the operation condition to the home appliance comprises:inputting command data transmitted from the monitoring device to acommunication device connected to the home appliance via a cable; andtransmitting the command data received by the communication device tothe home appliance.
 20. The remote control method according to claim 19,wherein the command data transmitted from the monitoring device isinputted to the communication device through an infrared module.
 21. Theremote control method according to claim 18, wherein the command data istransmitted from the monitoring device to the home appliance via a powerline network or an infrared communication.